In recent years, the popularity of snow skiing has greatly increased. Although many individuals have participated in this sport, most people are only occasional skiers and do not take the proper steps necessary before skiing to train themselves and to assure that they are in proper physical condition before taking to the slopes. While ski training and exercising equipment has been provided in the past, such devices have not adequately simulated sufficiently either the actual skiing movements or the forces to be expected during skiing maneuvers.
Downhill, slalom or Alpine skiing as opposed to Nordic or cross country skiing requires the user to carry out unique and strenuous movements while skiing. Generally, these movements include the following: a more or less up-and-down movement; stressing of the outer ski in a curve with a simultaneous lowering of the outer ski; inclination of the skis (edge setting) so that the inner edges of the ski are in contact with the snow in a turn; turning of the feet with the toes facing inwardly in the turn; and the longitudinal shifting of the feet with the inner ski located ahead of the outer ski in a turn. Several motions involve an up-and-down movement with a lowermost position during the making of a turn with the smallest radius. Alternatively, the skier can also lower his body while running straight downhill which involves running with the upper part of the body relatively motionless but with pronounced leg action, particularly involving the muscles of the thighs. Turns are made with pronounced straightening of the knee joints.
In parallel skiing, the skier pumps his legs so as to lower his body, raise his body, and then lower his body again. It is this body movement which unweights the skis, particularly at the rear ends thereof so that the major contact of the skis with the snow surface is at the forward or tip end of the skis. This configuration permits the rear ends of the skis to be moved laterally to the left if the skier is executing a right turn. As the rear ends of the skis are shifted laterally to the left, the skis are rotated slightly about their longitudinal axes so as to raise the left edge portions thereof and the right hand ski is shifted slightly forward of the left ski.
A ski exercising apparatus which is used by downhill skiers must be capable of enabling the user to perform the above-enumerated movements as well as allowing the user to develop coordination and muscle strength. Such an exercising device should present a force which must be overcome by the user who thereby builds his muscles and becomes aware of the conditions under which stressing of certain muscles or groups of muscles takes place during downhill skiing. As with any other type of exercising device, the exercising device must be easy to use to encourage the exerciser to routinely use the device without becoming bored. The more accurately the simulated movements can be reproduced through an exercising device, the greater use of the device will be made with the accompanying benefits to the user.
A need has thus arisen for a downhill ski exercising device which enables the user to perform the various movements actually required in downhill skiing, to thereby strengthen muscles and allow the user to become aware of the conditions under which stressing of certain muscles takes place during actual skiing. Such an exercising device must be simple in construction to allow easy use, minimal maintenance and durable for extended exercising periods.